As Thousands of Liberian Families Remain Separated
Monrovia, Liberia – The Liberia National Red Cross Society has begun its Restoring Family Links (RFL) programs across Liberia in a major humanitarian endeavor to reunite families broken apart by years of civil conflict, migration, deportation, disease outbreaks, and displacement due to climate change. The program, which is backed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, intends to assist thousands of Liberians who are still cut off from family members both domestically and overseas; many of them have gone years without knowing whether their loved ones are still alive.
Gregory T. Blamoh, secretary general and CEO of LNRCS, stressed the relaunch as an essential humanitarian intervention for underprivileged areas during a speech at the start of a three-day statewide training for volunteers. “The Red Cross has always been a lifeline to communities. The services we provide are not just helpful; they are essential. Let this not be another workshop but an opportunity to learn, grow, and serve our people better,” Blamoh said.
The RFL program will provide tracing requests, Red Cross messages, emergency telephone services, and radio outreach programs to reconnect separated families, especially deportees, migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons. The LNRCS claims that the relaunch would concentrate on enhancing volunteer capacity, providing clarification on the fate of missing persons, and guaranteeing the security of personal information during tracing efforts.
The International Group for Migration, UNHCR, the Liberia Immigration Service, the National Disaster Management Agency, and the Liberia National Police are just a few of the organizations that the group has declared plans to collaborate with. “Restoring Family Links cannot be achieved by the Red Cross alone,” Blamoh emphasized. “We must work hand in hand with government institutions, migration actors, and community leaders to ensure that no family is left behind.”
Dr. Annika Toerne of the ICRC Delegation in Dakar, Senegal, led a training session for at least 20 volunteers from all around Liberia. In order to equip volunteers to interact with communities and provide tracing services in an ethical manner, the training includes role-playing workshops and practical exercises.
According to volunteer Agnics Weah, the activity increased participants’ self-assurance in managing family tracing cases and safeguarding private data. Reuniting divided families, according to another participant, Saah Joseph of Margibi County, gives people impacted by years of suffering hope.
The restart marks a “new chapter” in Liberia’s humanitarian response, according to Christopher O. Johnson, Head of Programs at LNRCS. “RFL is not just a service; it is a humanitarian necessity,” Johnson said. “By integrating Protecting Family Links into our operational response, we ensure sustainability and relevance.”
The Liberia National Red Cross Society claims to be in a strategic position to spearhead initiatives aimed at reuniting families and restoring dignity to those impacted by crises throughout the nation, with active branches in all 15 counties.
Reported by: Prince Saah
